


Tranquil as a Forest

by naasad



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Asexual Character, Disney Movies, Feels, Fluff, Human Skulls, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Corrective Rape, Jehan is a Good Datemate, Other, Sex-Repulsed Character, implied/referenced past rape/non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-07-01 03:34:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15765753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naasad/pseuds/naasad
Summary: It's a secret.





	Tranquil as a Forest

**Author's Note:**

> Courfeyrac's experiences are loosely based on my own; however, no two asexual people are the same. Keep any acephobia to yourself, please.

It was a secret, Jehan thought, whispered to them in the spaces between words, in the touch or lack thereof.

It was written, bold and large, in the lines of Courfeyrac's body. In the way he hated being held, especially from behind, or in the way he shied away from intimacy, or in the way he slept as far away as possible... it was there.

It was a third party to their relationship, a ghost in every crevice of their lives. Jehan minded, of course, they minded, at times they were even jealous of this thing that had their boyfriend's heart in a vice. But that wasn't the way love worked. Terror had laid siege to their love's soul, so Jehan would bring the cavalry.

Gentle touches that meant _'I'm here for you'_...

Cups of warm cocoa on cold nights that meant _'I will be patient'_...

Soft kisses that meant _'My love for you will never go away'_...

"I don't want to go," Courf said, about his family's Christmas dinner.

Jehan sat facing him on the couch, knees drawn to their chest, bare feet tucked under his thigh for warmth. They reached out and wound a curl around their finger.

Courf struggled for words. "My cousin...."

Jehan pressed a kiss to his pulse. "I know."

Courfeyrac laughed bitterly. "Nothing slips past you." He shook his head. "I've never felt sexual attraction, ever, then he tried to fix me, and, well...."

"Fix?" Jehan tilted their head to the side, narrowing their eyes in scrutiny. "There's nothing to fix. I don't want these memories you have to hurt you anymore, and I'd dearly love if you talked to someone about that, but there's nothing to fix."

Courf fidgeted. "I know we never talked about my asexuality before, though-"

"Courf, dear," Jehan interrupted. "I don't fucking care. I love every single, individual, separate part of you more than I care about getting off. I'm sorry if I ever gave you the impression that wasn't true. Can you forgive me?"

Courfeyrac smiled, looking away. "I forgive you."

"Thank you, my love." Jehan took his hand in theirs, rubbing their thumb over his knuckles. "Do you want to talk more about this, or is it making you uncomfortable?" Courf opened his mouth to talk, but they cut him off to clarify: "And before you say anything about making me uncomfortable, I'll remind you that I love you very much and also that I currently have a human skull in my school bag. There's not much that can."

Courfeyrac laughed. "I forgot about Ælfflæd." He laid his cheek on his knee, thinking. "I think I want to change the subject."

Jehan nodded, then smiled and leaned close, dropping their voice to a smoky whisper. _"Let's get down to business..."_

Courf froze.

_"... to defeat the Huns."_

He burst out into giggles, loud and high-pitched, and he nodded.

Jehan laughed as well, giving an apology that Courf quickly waved away. They made a note to never do that again as they set up the DVD and rushed to the kitchen for ice cream and popcorn.

**Author's Note:**

> In my head, they're college students, Jehan is working on a Literary Analysis major with a dual minor in Forensic and Cultural Anthropology, and Courfeyrac is Pre-Law with some Community Organization and Advocacy classes on the side. Jehan is an academic badass because of their complicated degree, and Courfeyrac is an academic badass because he knows exactly what he wants, and he's not going to let anything stop him from getting it.
> 
> Due to the sensitive nature of this fic's subject matter, I've enabled comment moderation for my own mental health. Please don't let that stop you from reviewing. As long as it's not flames or hate-speech, I'm going to add it, and I really enjoy hearing your feedback.


End file.
